Forgiveness

This is appropriate for me to write on, or should I say type on this morning.  I need to forgive someone, but I am angry, I know that is no excuse, so I will have to forgive to be in right standing with the Lord.  Forgiveness is not a game we play with people it must be done from the heart.

Read Matthew 18:35, “So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses.”

Possibly I am speaking to someone today that is in this same situation and is trying to forgive someone but having a very hard time.  There are some extreme situations and circumstances that have happened to people through no fault of their own that seems impossible, and I am glad I am not in one of those circumstances today and I am sorry if you are.  But if we don’t compare ourselves to someone else and compare ourselves to the Lord we have no excuse not to forgive; I don’t think any of us has suffered as much as He did on our behalf!!  

Think about this, Jesus even seemed to make forgiveness even harder since from my understanding the Jews thought that forgiving someone who sinned against them three times in a day was pretty remarkable, or you might say going the extra mile, but Jesus must have shocked them when He said this in Matthew 18:21-22, “Then Peter came to Him and said, ‘Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?’ Jesus said to him, ‘I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.’”

Then Jesus told Peter a story of what the Kingdom of Heaven could be compared to in that same chapter in verses 23-34, “Therefore the kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. And when he had begun to settle accounts, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. But as he was not able to pay, his master commanded that he be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and that payment be made. The servant therefore fell down before him, saying, ‘Master, have patience with me, and I will pay you all.’ Then the master of that servant was moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt. But that servant went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii; and he laid hands on him and took him by the throat, saying, ‘Pay me what you owe!’ So his fellow servant fell down at his feet and begged him, saying, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you all.’ And he would not, but went and threw him into prison till he should pay the debt. So when his fellow servants saw what had been done, they were very grieved, and came and told their master all that had been done. Then his master, after he had called him, said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me. Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?’ And his master was angry, and delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due to him.”

So, all of us need to take this very seriously if we want the Lord to forgive us.  Then Jesus threw in the final warning in the last verse of that same chapter, read verse 35, “So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses.”  

These are not my words, these are the Lord’s words and we need to live by them if we want the Lord to forgive us!!  Enough said, now you have a choice, I hope you make the right one.  May the good Lord bless you and yours and may you have a super day!!  Hey if you haven’t yet today, don’t forget to thank and praise the Lord for He is worthy!!